Are You Ready For It?
by Silverspoon
Summary: Skye decides to take some time away from SHIELD in the wake of the Hive incident - a concerned Coulson sends an unexpected figure to track her down. "Last time I saw you, Ward, you were exploding into a billion tiny pieces just outside the Earth's orbit. So, what space rock did you crawl out from under this time?"
1. Chapter 1

**Are You Ready For It?**

 **Part One**

 **x-x-x**

 ** _'_** ** _Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him_**

 ** _Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted_**

 ** _But if he's a ghost, then I can be a phantom_**

 ** _Holdin' him to ransom…'_**

 **x-x-x**

The third drink appeared on the bar in front of Skye before she had chance to really drain the dregs from the second - not that she was complaining. It was luminous blue and contained both chunks of pineapple skewered on a stick as well as a tiny, pink umbrella. It would have amused the old her to no end. The Skye of the times, however, simply appreciated the high alcohol content and the lack of an acrid burn as it hit the back of her throat on the way down.

"Thanks," she drawled, already reaching for her new tipple. She had been in Hawaii only five days but she had already learned quickly what was palatable to her taste buds and what wasn't.

"No problem, O Hilo," the bartender replied, elbows leaning heavily on the surface of the bar itself as she attempted to peer around Skye and out across the sandy beach. The sun was characteristically high in the picture-perfect sky, and so the beach was full to capacity with families and couples and teenagers seeking to top up their tans or while away the hours in the clear surf. Skye didn't even bother to follow the barkeep's gaze as she stared out into the crowd, her eyes obviously lingering on a particular figure.

"That one's a killer," she said, her voice low and appreciative. Skye found herself only grunting in response; she was tired of playing this game with Mailey already, although it had been just a few days. The woman was as flirtatious and hungry for love as she was young and pretty, and it seemed that every remotely attractive, red blooded male with a pulse caught her eye throughout the duration of her shifts.

"Men are more trouble than they're worth," Skye managed before raising her glass to her lips and drinking deep. Mailey only scowled, reaching forwards and pinching the fleshy part of Skye's arm hard. Realistically, the Inhuman could have had the other woman on the ground and begging for mercy within several seconds, but she allowed the transgression to slide. She liked Mailey, who had been the only one to offer Skye some kindness and show an interest in her presence throughout the past eight months that she had been drifting from place to place. The girl had a round, kind face and enormous brown eyes that were so ridiculously expressive that Skye could read her like a book from one second to the next.

Eyes fixated on the subject of her latest lustful stares, the young college student shook her head and patted Skye's arm in an attempt to redirect her attention.

"No. Seriously. He is hot. Like… seriously, _'_ _my panties are melting'_ hot."

Rolling her eyes with a groan, Skye finally consented to play along with the other woman, pausing first to suck a healthy amount of her cocktail through the straw. To say that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was done with men would be something of an understatement. Miles had been a mistake almost from the get go, interested only in her contribution to the Rising Tide rather than her heart; the heart that Ward had then completely and irrevocably broken. Then, of course, there was Lincoln Campbell – a guy who had quite literally sacrificed himself for her - a fact which never failed to evoke the very deepest guilt within her, especially when she realised that, for all of his sacrifices in the end, she had never loved him.

Skye thought that perhaps made Lincoln's death even more tragic, and certainly more her responsibility. Whilst she had cared about him, and been undeniably attracted to him, it had never been love. Skye found herself wondering now if she was even capable of the emotion. It was partly that guilt that had led her to flee from S.H.I.E.L.D. all those months ago, travelling across the country with a resentful need to be as far from the organisation as possible.

Finally turning her head to look at the man the bar tender was actively drooling over, Skye started as the woman tugged her arm again. "Don't turn around. He's coming over."

Heaving out a sigh, Skye stole a glance in the mirror behind the bar, and all at once she felt as if the bottom had fallen out of her stomach. Pressing her face into her hands, she let out a groan of irritation.

"Fuck me."

"Do you want him to? I mean, if you like him we can totally try to hook you up," Mailey whispered, her eyes alight with excitement at the thought, "might help you loosen up a little. I mean, no offence, but you seem kind of uptight… maybe bordering on alcoholism…"

"Mailey," Skye ground out in warning, wishing she could slump lower in her seat, which was obviously an impossible task given the fact she was perched on a backless barstool.

Of course he was still alive. Grant Ward was like a proverbial cockroach after all; Skye was pretty certain he could withstand the apocalypse, when it eventually came. As the man in question moved closer, his eyes sweeping every inch of the beach as though he was seeking out an imminent threat, Skye did her level best to make it seem like she was looking anywhere but at him.

That was precisely the moment Ward locked eyes on his target, and, lowering the Aviators perched on the bridge of his nose, he began to stroll with more purposeful steps towards the bar.

"Don't even go there, okay. This one's literally a killer," Skye gestured behind her back towards Ward's approaching figure.

Mailey watched in bemusement as Skye tossed the umbrella and cocktail stick out of her glass and threw back the bright blue beverage, drinking it down in little more than three gulps.

"I'm gonna need another of those. In fact, just keep them coming…"

"You know him?" the bartender checked, subconsciously biting her bottom lip as she watched the tall, dark, and scandalously handsome stranger approach them. His confident swagger was most definitely stirring up her interest and her hormones.

"Knew," Skye corrected, shaking her head and rubbing her forehead, "a long time ago."

She smelled his cologne before he'd even sat down next to her, and she made sure to keep her gaze fixed straight ahead.

"Daisy…" he began, looking her up and down with an odd mixture of fondness and obvious concern.

"Skye," she snapped, rolling her eyes as she intercepted his smile in the mirror. Planting her hands firmly on the bar, she felt her jaw tense in anger, the ever-present thrum of her powers surging through her body beneath her skin, reassuring her that she would never be vulnerable again. At least not physically.

"Last time I saw you, Ward, you were exploding into a billion tiny pieces just outside the Earth's orbit. So, what space rock did you crawl out from under this time?"

With a huff of irritation, Skye turned in her seat, almost ashamed of the brief pang of happiness that washed over her as she settled her gaze on his face. Clean shaven, his hair short, he looked just like 'her' Grant Ward; like the man she had fallen in love with once upon a time - like her hero.

Pausing to ask the gaping bartender for a bourbon on the rocks, the former Specialist simply reached into his pocket and tossed a leather ID holder onto the bar.

"Coulson sent me. He's worried about you. We all are."

Arching an eyebrow in disbelief, Skye scanned the S.H.I.E.L.D. ID wearing a smirk, almost as though she expected to be let in on a joke.

"Wait, hold on… Coulson sent you? You're working for Coulson? You're with S.H.I.E.L.D. again? What the fuck is going on, Ward? Because last time I checked, Coulson hated you, he literally murdered you, and now you're besties again?"

Snorting derisively, Ward shook his head as he took a sip of his drink, "Hardly. Look, long story short, whatever that thing was that crawled up my ass, it protected me from the blast. Last thing I remember is dying, and then 'it' was inside me… there's just fragments, moments… you. I remember you…" Noting how Skye lowered her gaze, shame crashing across her features, he concluded gently, "Anyway, next thing I know I'm waking up in Nevada with one hell of a headache. S.H.I.E.L.D. picked me up, and… I guess Coulson's guilt happily coincided with my own, so… here I am."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Skye pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, before blindly gesturing towards Mailey, who was making her customer's fourth cocktail of the afternoon.

"Yeah, so I'm just gonna need the bottle…"

Her smile wry, Mailey nodded her head without a word and scooted the bottle across the bar to Skye, who caught it gratefully. Ward eyed the alcohol with an expression half curious and half concerned.

"So, is this a regular thing for you?" he inquired, tilting his head as he indicated the half empty glass at Skye's elbow. She pursed her lips, her annoyance shining through immediately.

"You don't get to ask me that," she barked, making a point of throwing another slug of liquor down her throat.

"Coping mechanism," Ward guessed, completely ignoring the look of unbridled venom that Skye directed at him. "I'm sorry about Lincoln. I know it was sort of my fault. For what it's worth, I wish he hadn't been part of the fallout."

"Fuck off," Skye spat, and Mailey stood up a little straighter, her previously awestruck expression at seeing Ward now transforming to one of concern for the young woman she had befriended.

Shrugging, as if he realised he deserved her acerbic replies, Ward ran a hand through his hair. "Coulson's worried about you, Skye. Your friends are worried about you… and so am I."

Releasing a puff of laughter, Skye eyed him momentarily, "Well, at least you don't count yourself as my friend. That's progress, I guess… you know, considering I hate you and all."

Nodding his head, Ward agreed with her without protest.

"And I deserve that. But I promise you, Skye, if I have to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, earning your trust back again, then I will."

This time it was an actual peel of laughter that left her lips, and she rolled her eyes as she picked absently at the label on the bottle of tequila, her thirst now apparently quenched.

"I don't foresee you and I hanging out on a regular basis, Ward. So… whatever."

Widening her eyes in exasperation, Skye threw up her hands in defeat.

"Alright. Fine. You can go report back to Coulson, and tell him you've seen me and I'm fine. I just… I can't be around S.H.I.E.L.D. right now. I don't know if I ever want to go back. But I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"We don't doubt that," he murmured, sliding a bill across the bar to Mailey in payment for his drink. He paused in order to down the rest of the glass, and Skye found herself watching his every move despite her overwhelming desire to punch him in the face.

"Then why are you here?" she demanded, her tone hostile and her lip curled. She couldn't find it within herself to feel remotely sorry for her treatment of Ward. He deserved ten times worse after all, given his past transgressions, where his betrayal of S.H.I.E.L.D. and their team was not even the tip of the iceberg.

"It's your emotional state Coulson is worried about," Ward replied, already beginning to rise from his barstool, "but I think you know that already. He's sorry that you were ever dragged into all of this. He sees what happened to me… the path I went down… and he doesn't want the same or worse for you."

"I am nothing like you," snarled Skye, her temper fraying so much that the bar began to tremble, and several glasses sitting on the nearby shelf shattered. Mailey let out a surprised squeal as she found glass showering her, and Ward set out a few more bills on the bar, apparently in an attempt to compensate for the damage Skye had caused.

"If that's what helps you sleep at night," Ward replied evenly, shrugging as though Skye's opinion was of no consequence to him. She felt her anger rising in waves and she was forced to dig her nails into her thighs in order to regain control of her errant powers, which kicked and screamed beneath the surface of her skin for dominance. Skye knew that she was trembling with the effort but she hoped that Ward would take it for a symptom of her anger. However, when the purple and blue bruises began to blossom on her arms, she knew that the jig was up.

A frown darkened his features and Ward reached for her arm, gripping her wrist as he attempted to examine her.

"You know S.H.I.E.L.D. can help you with this," he said quietly and gently, his thumb brushing over the darkest bruise and causing Skye to flinch. "Simmons says…"

"You tried to kill Simmons, remember?" Skye hissed, although she did not withdraw her aching arm from Ward's grip, "then she tried to kill you. Are you all suffering some kind of short term memory loss? Is that what this is?"

"Yeah, and now we're even," Ward replied without missing a beat, his tone suddenly becoming more sombre, "look, about Lincoln…"

Letting out a shriek of irritation, Skye slapped his hand away, "It's not about him, okay?!"

Licking his lips, the distaste evident in his tone, Ward continued on, "I know you loved him…"

Rounding on him with unchecked rage, Skye's eyes blazed with fury.

"That's just it. I didn't! I didn't love him, not like he deserved. Not like he loved me. And you know why? Because _you_ broke me, Ward. You! _You_ broke my heart," running one hand through her hair, she batted at the errant tear that had escaped her eyes with the other. "There's nothing left to give to anyone else. I trusted you. For the first time in my life I thought I'd found someone who'd never hurt me. Who'd fight for me. How wrong can you be, huh?!"

Her lips clamped together and her jaw set, Skye shook her head bitterly, standing up and folding her arms across her chest. "You know what? We're done. I don't want to see you again. Tell Coulson I'll call him."

Ward regarded her coolly and Skye hated him all the more for it. At least if he had floundered – if he had appeared upset or distressed by her minor breakdown – she could have deduced that he cared. Really though, she had come to terms with the fact that he was incapable of true emotion a long time ago. She had no idea why she was suddenly holding out hope for it now.

"We're done here," Skye repeated, spinning on her heel and pausing only to flash Mailey a look that communicated that whilst she may not be okay at present, she would be very soon. Understanding, the bartender nodded and busied herself with sweeping up shards of glass that littered the floor beneath her feet.

"I wish you'd reconsider," Ward called out, halting Skye in her tracks. She had barely made in several steps, and she froze when his voice washed over her again.

"Reconsider?" she asked, turning around slowly to observe Ward, who regarded her with crossed arms and an unreadable expression. "What exactly do you think I need to reconsider here, Ward?"

"You're upset, you're hurt, you're emotional, you're…" he began, trailing off when he noted the flash of furious anger that illuminated Skye's brown eyes.

"You know what? I wish you'd reconsidered once," she retorted, averting her gaze, "I wished you'd reconsidered following Garrett, betraying us all, dropping FitzSimmons in the ocean, watching me bleed out on a basement floor…"

Her words seemed to strike a chord, and Ward shook his head furiously, starting after her and curling his hand around the top of her arm to turn her to face him.

"You know I would never hurt you! I didn't know… I didn't know Garrett had…" He stared at her imploringly, "I would never let anything happen to you, Skye. When that thing was inside me, you don't know what it was like trying to fight it, trying to keep it from hurting you. It knew - it knew I loved you and it used it against me, like it enjoyed torturing me…" Pausing to gather his thoughts, Ward added sincerely, "If I could go back I'd do it all differently. But I can't. All I can do is try to make amends.

Skye scoffed indignantly, "Yeah. Poor you, Ward. It's always about you, right?!"

Shaking his head to dismiss her claim as nonsense, Ward offered her a wry smile, "You know why Simmons didn't object to having me back on the team?"

Skye pursed her lips and pretended to think it over, "She got new cluster bombs she wants to try out? Are we short a few targets in the firing range?"

Ignoring her barbs, he glanced down at her arm, slowly uncurling his fingers from her skin. "Because she knew being around you was punishment enough…"

"Gee, thanks," Skye quipped, eyes narrowing as she digested the meaning behind his accusation.

He continued on, undeterred, "Knowing that you hate me. That I lost you, and it's all my fault."

Offering him a withering glare, Skye grunted, "I don't hate you anymore, Ward. I'm just… not super excited about your existence."

Relenting somewhat, she added, "And if you're not full of shit, and you really do want forgiveness from the team, then I hope that works out for you. I get it, okay? I… did some pretty stupid shit for my mom and I hurt a lot of people. But that doesn't give you a free pass for what you did. You want their trust then you're gonna have to earn it."

"I know," Ward held her gaze, running his eyes over her face and mourning the bright eyed, glossy haired young woman he'd met only a few short years before. "What about you, Skye? What do I have to do to earn your trust?"

Skye inhaled slowly, looking out onto the horizon towards the beach, where the sun was beginning to dip beneath the ocean line. The breeze was warm and soothing against her cheeks, and she felt her anger ebbing away as she returned her attention to his hopeful gaze.

"Don't. Just don't," she said wearily, "don't pretend you care, Ward. You feel guilty, okay? I get that. I do too."

She thought back on her actions over the past couple of years, and those she'd unwittingly involved along the way. Lincoln's face was at the forefront of her mind.

"But don't pretend this is anything more than that. Aren't you tired of all of this? Of the fighting? And the lying? I am. I'm so tired, Ward."

Ward's brow furrowed as he watched a steady stream of tears descend her cheeks, and without thinking he lifted a hand towards her face to brush the moisture away with this thumb. She allowed him the contact but she flinched when his skin met hers, as though it physically pained her.

"I know. I know you are," he murmured, "and you know how I feel about you. That'll never change."

Stepping away from him, her hands raised as tough she was poised to defend herself, Skye rapidly shook her head.

"I can't do this," she said, although her voice was small and forlorn, rather than raised in anger this time. "I just want to be left alone. I want to forget that any of this ever happened."

A moment of silence stretched out between them both, punctured only by the sound of gulls wheeling overhead and the waves lapping at the shore. Ward watched her closely, managing to hide his sorrow from her well, since he had been trained to do so since he was fifteen years old. In contrast, Skye had always worn her heart on her sleeve, and it showed in that moment when she seemed to struggle to reign in her emotions. Her bottom lip trembled horribly and her eyes began to water again, although she attempted to blink back her tears in a valiant fashion.

"Do you think that you can?" Ward asked finally, something about his tone genuinely curious.

Skye regarded him, undecided as to whether she should even entertain answering him. However, against her better judgment, she decided that she must.

"I'll never know, if you don't even let me try," she whispered, her voice growing husky.

Searching her eyes, he shook his head, once again realising that the weakness Garrett had taunted him about had reared its head.

"I can't," he said simply, "I wish I could. But… you're the only thing I ever loved in my entire life, and I can't let you go without knowing I did everything I could to make up for the way I hurt you."

The sincerity in his tone was matched only by the honesty she found reflected in his eyes, and Skye felt suddenly rooted to the spot, as if physically unable to break free from his gaze.

"That could take a while, Ward…" she said, offering him a shrug and the ghost of a sad smile.

Cocking his head, Ward too smiled, and the gesture reminded her so much of the man she'd fallen in lust with that it made her heart flutter despite the protest from her brain telling her to make a hasty retreat.

"Well, I guess that's one of the perks of refusing to stay dead. I've got a whole lifetime to put things right."

Feeling her resolve wavering, Skye glanced down at the floor and then out into the ocean again, anywhere but at Ward's face. The war between her brain and her heart was raging, although she quickly reasoned that each had gotten her into her fair share of trouble in the past.

"You don't give up, do you?" She finally came to a decision, twisting her lips into a frown as he continued to stare down at her intently. "Ughh, alright! Fine. Coulson gave you a second chance, so… I guess I can too. But just to be clear here, Ward, you and I are not friends right now."

His smile was dazzling, "How about we start from acquaintances and work our way up from there?!"

"I'm not promising anything," she retorted, folding her arm across her chest and glancing back behind the bar, where Mailey was watching them both with obvious interest. She had long since finished clearing up the pieces of glass Skye's powers had rained down upon her, and she seemed to be following their interactions with a level of attentiveness that most people reserved for their favourite TV shows.

Skye shot her a scowl and Mailey retorted with a grin, but made no move to busy herself with other pursuits. Part of Skye was annoyed, but the more relaxed part of her was amused.

"I wouldn't expect you to," Ward said, nodding his head a little too vigorously. He seemed suddenly nervous in her presence, although Skye could understand why; from what he had said since his appearance, he was coveting her forgiveness at least to a degree, and she had already been more than vocal about the fact that she was loathed to give it.

"I'm not ready to go back yet. I figured I'd stay here a few weeks," Skye stated, adding with a mischievous smirk, "taking full advantage of a S.H.I.E.L.D. credit card is one thing I totally don't feel guilty over."

Ward laughed, arching a dark eyebrow, "In that case, I hope you went for the penthouse suite."

Skye wrinkled her nose and crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly realising how revealing her tank top was. It clung to her chest and hugged what remained of her curves, which had admittedly dwindled after months of sometimes forgetting to eat.

"The main hotel was a little too people-y for me right now. Kind of wanted to be on my own, so I'm staying in one of their villas. Figured they'd notice less if I lost control of my powers."

Ward nodded in understanding, suddenly shooting her an apologetic smile as he stated, "I'm gonna have to tell Coulson I found you."

Skye shrugged, realising that not only would Coulson be worried about her wellbeing, but that Ward couldn't afford to have any secrets between him and his old/new boss. "Sure. Just… tell him I'm okay and… I just need to clear my head."

Ward inhaled slowly, looking out over the beautiful scenery and the restaurant situated right next to the beach before he decided to push his luck somewhat.

"Maybe I could buy you dinner?" holding up his hands, he added, "just as friends… acquaintances."

Skye pondered his invitation for a moment, somehow feeling as if this was one of those decisions that would prove pivotal. Only a big, empty villa and an evening of room service and TV awaited her, and she supposed the fresh air would do her good. It was yet to be decided just how beneficial or not the company would prove.

"How about you call Coulson, and then… S.H.I.E.L.D. can buy us both dinner?"

Ward dutifully retrieved his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans, and Skye was taken aback somewhat when he held out his free hand towards her as if preparing to shake the hand of a business acquaintance.

"Grant Ward," he smiled at her affectionately, glancing down as she gingerly slid her hand into his.

Deciding to play along with his game, she squeezed his hand perhaps more tightly than he anticipated and sent a tiny shockwave of energy coursing through his palm. Replying through a teasing grin, she came to a decision she hoped she wouldn't live to regret.

"Daisy Johnson… but you can call me Skye."

* * *

We own nothing. Lyrics belong to the fabulous Ms. Swift.


	2. Chapter 2

**Are You Ready For It?**

 **Part Two**

 **x-x-x**

 ** _'Me, I was a robber first time that he saw me_**

 ** _Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry_**

 ** _But if I'm a thief, then he can join the heist_**

 ** _And we'll move to an island - and…'_**

 **x-x-x**

For several months they danced the same dance; they met at the bar on the beach, Mailey tended to their drinks, and on Skye's better evenings they actually managed a steady stream of conversation. They ate dinner together most nights, and occasionally they had taken to walking together during the daylight to pass the time. Ward had even once managed to persuade Skye into a scuba diving trip, which was also a first for him since working for Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. had never really been conducive to carrying out tourist pursuits. Skye had yet to invite Ward back to her villa though and, truthfully speaking, he doubted she ever would. Yet he was content enough to sit across from her each day, sampling the many delights that the island had to offer, or to allow her to cling on to his arm as they navigated the local terrain.

Ward could see that her feelings towards him had visibly begun to change; the smiles she bestowed upon him seemed somehow warmer, she laughed more and with increasing abandon at his jokes, and little by little she began to open up about the nightmares that had tormented her of late. Grant listened as best he could, wishing with everything he had that he could ease her mental anguish, bear the brunt of her scars, but there was perhaps very little of a constructive nature that he could do. As difficult as he found it to watch Skye suffering and to know that he could not provide her with the help she needed, he was happy that at least she was no longer alone. He had already vowed to Coulson that he would not be leaving Hawaii until Skye ordered him to, or preferably until she agreed to return home with him. However, the bitterness she exhibited towards S.H.I.E.L.D. and, to an extent, Coulson himself, indicated to Ward that the latter would perhaps be a long time coming.

Surprisingly, Skye seemed to have made peace with many of Ward's past wrongs, including his betrayal of the team in favour of John, (which was perhaps the one thing that Grant would never forgive himself for). On a few occasions she had even claimed to understand it, although Ward wasn't entirely sure whether to believe that – after all, he wasn't certain in retrospect that he understood his own actions during that time. The majority of Skye's pain seemed rooted in her belief that Lincoln's death was of her doing somehow; that it was her inability to fall in love with him freely, the way she perceived that he had deserved, that had resulted in his loss. Ward did his best to talk her out of such thinking but he could tell his words made very little headway with her. He often found himself repeating sentences that had been spoken to him by his own therapist, yet Skye was buried so deep beneath the weight of her guilt that nothing he said seemed to chip away at her resolve. Still he persisted, not only because he owed her as much for the way he had treated her in the past, but also because watching her in pain was as unbearable as any torture he had ever endured.

Of course, Coulson had been irritated by Ward's appraisal of the situation, and of how long it may take by his estimation to coerce Skye into coming back, but there was very little he could do about any of it. So, he allowed Ward permission to remain where he was, under the conditions that he kept in touch with his S.H.I.E.L.D. therapist regularly, and that he use his time to in part rehabilitate himself. That was fine by Ward, who was fairly certain that some time away from the field could only be a good thing since the majority of his life already had been spent fighting. It was time to see what else the world had to offer him, beyond blood and secrets and death.

One evening, with dinner already prearranged between them to begin promptly at eight, Ward found himself reading the newspaper in the lobby of the hotel as he waited. He was almost embarrassed to admit to himself that he kept shooting glances at his watch, willing the more than forty minutes left to tick by faster. Usually, Skye was late, (a habit going back to their BUS days that made Grant somewhat nostalgic), and so he assumed he should perhaps double the remaining time frame to get a more accurate countdown to her arrival. Therefore, Ward was more than a little surprised to spot Skye leaning against a pillar, smiling somewhat flirtatiously up at a man that appeared to be hanging on her every word.

Lowering his paper to his lap, Ward kept his eyes trained on the pair, annoyance flaring within him when he noted Skye slipping her arm through the man's as they set out towards the revolving doors. He tucked the tip of his tongue into the pocket of his cheek, his eyes never wavering from Skye's retreating back. An hour later, when he was seated at their table in the restaurant, sipping at a bottle of red, his anger hadn't waned in the slightest.

In fact, when Skye slid into the chair opposite him with a smile upon her lips, Grant couldn't help but meet her gaze with a scowl. Skye's expression fell immediately and she cocked her head as she observed Ward.

"Bad day?" she inquired, reaching for the wine bottle, which Ward closed his fingers around first. He removed it from her reach and instead refilled his own glass, which had already been half full anyway.

"More like an extremely shitty three decades," replied Ward coolly, guilt finally eating away at him enough that he leaned across the table and poured a measure of wine into Skye's waiting glass.

"Seems like you're suddenly holding me accountable for that," she observed, sitting back in her chair and folding her hands over her stomach. Ward noted then for the first time that she had changed her dress since he had seen her in the lobby. Her new outfit was white as opposed to stark red, and certainly consisted of a lot more material than the other had.

"Who was the guy?" Ward demanded, tired of playing games suddenly.

A silent 'oh' forming on her lips, Skye regarded him coolly. "So that's what this is about? You jealous, Ward?"

Taking a sip of his wine first, he then laughed but without any real humour present. He was so very beyond the point of jealous it was embarrassing. Whilst being around Skye again was all he had wanted, having her so close and yet entirely out of his reach was torture. Simmons had been correct; nothing could have been better pay back for his indiscretions than the way his heart twisted in his chest each time he looked at her.

"Is that what you're trying to do? Make me jealous?" he countered, watching as she seemed to grow increasingly irritable, her hands gripping the edge of her chair. But then, all of a sudden, she appeared to deflate, and when she raised her gaze to his face, he was both concerned and surprised to find nothing but extreme embarrassment written in her expression.

"No, Ward," she huffed, rolling her eyes as she realised she needed to tell him the truth. "Look, Coulson cut off my credit card a couple of days ago, and I have no money. I'm just trying to pay my way."

Ward's brow furrowed and he felt his heart hammering in his chest as he jumped to the very worst conclusion. "And how exactly are you doing that, Skye?"

The flimsy dress, the flirtatious routine, the random stranger he'd seen her with; it was all starting to add up and he didn't like the direction his thoughts were taking him one bit.

Her lips formed a smile around the rim of her glass, and she snorted with disdain, "Not like that, Grant, okay? Jesus! Is that what you think?! I'm not pulling a 'Pretty Woman' if that's what you're worried about."

Feeling the need to explain, she leaned closer, making them look, to all intents and purposes, like a young couple in love, whispering over the candlelight.

"Ok, here it is, my last shred of self-respect, so… enjoy it, huh? I… find guys who are drunk, bat my eyelashes a little bit, make them think they're like the greatest thing ever, which, by the way is pretty easy cos let me tell you? Guys? Totally pathetic. And then I just… help them get a little drunker and… steal their wallets. Most of them are tourists so they're idiots. Never heard of traveller's cheques - carrying big wads of cash around with them. I mean, it's just asking for trouble…"

His expression was stoic and now so very much like the uptight, overtly moral Grant Ward she'd first met as he bundled her out of her van, that Skye couldn't help but smile.

"You pick their pockets?" he asked incredulously.

Eyes wide, she shushed him hurriedly, "A little louder, Grant. I don't think the old deaf couple in the back heard you. Jeez."

Noting his wholly disapproving expression, she tutted in disbelief, "Don't look at me like that! Um… Hydra? Garrett? I could go on… and on. How the hell do you think I survived when you met me, huh? A girl's gotta eat. Seriously… put away the judge-y face."

Grabbing a warm bread roll from the basket on the table, Skye applied a liberal amount of butter and took a huge bite.

Remaining silent for a moment, Ward shook his head in anger. He had already addressed this issue with Coulson, who had angrily suggested such a move during their last conversation. Grant had thought he had successfully managed to drive the idea from his boss' mind but apparently he had been mistaken. Skye needed time, Ward had argued to the director, not bullying tactics designed to make S.H.I.E.L.D. seem like her only option.

"That son of a bitch," he hissed, running his hand over the back of his neck before he actively sought out her gaze. "I'm paying for your room, and… whatever else you need. And before you say no, think of it as… damages. Emotional distress."

Skye snorted in amusement and shook her head before commenting, "You do not want to go down that route. The internet shopping I could do."

"I don't care," Ward replied, his tone firm and tinged with anger, "it's just money."

"Said like someone who's never experienced a lack of it," she observed, puffing out a sigh before reaching once again for her wine glass. She arched a brow as she inquired with genuine interest, "You seriously didn't know he was going to try the whole 'tough love' dad routine?"

Ward paused, shaking his head after a moment. He knew Skye had been homeless before and, had he truly known that Coulson would go ahead with his plan, he would have done something, anything, to stop him.

"He mentioned it just over a week ago but I thought he was just blowing smoke through his nose," Ward said, his fingers gripping the edge of the table tighter as he added, "I thought I'd talked him out of it. He said we'd speak again before he did anything drastic."

"Guess not," Skye shrugged, her expression conveying her feelings on the subject. Trying to lighten the moment, she added, "Hey, if I'd known you were going to spring for the bill I wouldn't have taken a standard twin on the third floor… that villa had its own pool, Ward, and the beds in my new digs? Kinda lumpy."

Suddenly recalling a similar complaint from another time, Ward smiled as Skye began to peruse the menu, "Not as lumpy as the bunks on the BUS, surely?"

Wrinkling her nose at the memory, Skye consented to laugh, "The floor of my van was more comfortable than those things!"

Matching her smile, Ward held her gaze, his stomach dipping as he noted how the candlelight bathed her skin in a warm glow. Her eyes practically shone as she stared back at him with what he hoped was genuine happiness.

"Mmm… although it was pretty difficult to get you out of it every morning, if I remember correctly."

Skye shrugged mischievously, "Well most guys try to talk girls _into_ bed, Grant. Not drag them _out_ of it at the ass crack of dawn."

He paused, somewhat surprised to hear her utilise his christian name once more, but he said nothing for fear that it was some kind of blunder she would apologise for if he did. He had been 'Ward' for so very long now, to so many people, probably because it was so unfamiliar and lacked intimacy; refusing to let him in made certain that he could hurt no one.

The rest of the evening passed by pleasantly, and Skye even consented to stay for dessert, which was practically unheard of during their short time together. Ward couldn't say he was sorry for her change of heart though, especially when she allowed him to spoon a small amount of his cheesecake into her mouth so that she could sample it.

Three courses, eight cocktails and three bottles of wine later, the couple stumbled along the path towards the reception of the hotel. Skye clutched her heels in one hand and gripped Ward's offered arm with the other, hoping that he would provide her with the stability she needed to remain on her feet. She had not been quite so drunk in a while but she certainly didn't seem to regret having let her guard down just for one night. It was refreshing, Grant thought, to see the wide, unabandoned smile on her face, and to note how her cheeks were flushed pink with a mixture of alcohol and amusement.

The warm evening breeze was soothing as it kissed her skin, blowing tendrils of hair around her face and carrying with it the ever-present scent of the sea. The path towards the hotel was unoccupied, save for the occasional couple ambling – or in some cases – rushing with amorous intent towards their hotels.

"Tonight was… nice," Skye consented, letting out a girlish giggle as she stumbled over an uneven patch of ground and felt Ward's hand curl around her hip. "I had a really good time… thank you."

"It was my pleasure," Ward said, and she could tell from the smile on his face that his words were genuine. He appeared sincerely delighted by her company, as he had done for the duration of the evening.

Pursing her lips, Skye asked shyly, "Maybe tomorrow we could try that seafood place on the beach?"

"Whatever you want," he agreed, inhaling the night air and feeling his stomach dip when Skye hugged his arm tightly to her.

A thrill of complete delight coursed through his body, and Ward found his smile growing wider. He didn't want to appear over-confident in the new and strangely blossoming friendship that had begun to develop between them over the last couple of weeks, but it wasn't an exaggeration to say that the latest developments were making him happier than he remembered being in a very long time. Perhaps since their early days on the BUS, before Hydra had ruined everything.

Skye regarded him, peering up through a fan of lashes and licking her lips as she contemplated her next move. Perhaps it was stupid, certainly risky, but she was overwhelmed by her desire to just be near him. After all, chemistry had never been something the pair had been lacking in. She took a step forward, and then another, and then her hands were pressed flush against his hard, smooth chest.

"I guess this is where we say 'goodnight'," murmured Grant, his eyes widening and his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed hard. Skye's perfume permeated his nostrils and he fought the urge to breathe deep, eyes closed, knowing that that would certainly be a strange, unwelcome move on his part. He could not help the desire though; everything about her washed over and flooded his senses, and he wasn't sure that he would have wanted to prevent it even if he could have.

"I guess," mumbled Skye in reply, her eyes dropping down to his lips and then raising again to focus on his.

Her fingers played with the fabric of his shirt, and she watched as he very slowly and hesitantly lifted his hand to her face. He caressed her cheek as she pressed further into his palm. He didn't dare make any other advances.

Realising she would have to make the first move, Skye lifted herself onto the tips of her toes and slid her arms upwards, allowing her fingers to knot at the nape of his neck. Ward appeared suitably stunned, never having dared to dream that they would ever be so much as friends again, never mind anything else. But here she was, in his arms, looking up at him like she not only had stopped hating him, but as if she liked him. A fact made ever sweeter because now she knew the real him, there was no act. It was just the two of them, no S.H.I.E.L.D., no Garrett, no lies; just them.

Closing the remaining distance, Skye angled her head until her lips almost touched his, yet Ward remained stock still, afraid to move for fear of ruining the moment or doing something, anything, that would force her from his embrace. His hands rested on her waist, and Skye could feel his hands trembling.

Smiling mischievously, Skye stretched up until her breath ghosted his ear, " _And that_ … _is how I pick their pockets_!"

Ward felt embarrassment crash over him at the exact same moment that his world seemingly crashed down around his ears. He felt foolish and ridiculous, and a hundred other similar words that all amounted to stupid. He pulled away quickly, but much to his surprise Skye gripped his shoulders tighter. In contrast to his crestfallen expression, hers was amused and yet also vaguely warm.

"I was kidding," she whispered, peering up at him with a smirk. "Mostly."

"I don't want to play these games, Skye," Ward ground out, his tone sounding a little harsher than he had intended, probably due to the intense feeling of mortification washing over him in insurmountable waves.

"I'm not playing games," she murmured, fingers brushing imaginary lint off the sleeve of his dinner jacket. "Not anymore."

She closed the distance between them with one, long step, her lips fastening onto his hard and fast, taking his breath away.

Ward was too stunned to react, and Skye pulled away after a few moments of her lips pressed against his. "This only works if you kiss me back, Grant."

He stared down at her unblinking, fingers gripping her waist tighter as indecision flickered over his handsome face. "Is this really what you want, Skye?"

"Yes," she breathed, grasping the back of his shirt collar as their lips brushed in a quick succession of kisses, "you're what I want."

Eventually his hesitancy melted away and he pulled her against him, muffling her moan of surprise with a kiss that rendered them both breathless.

Skye stumbled back against the wall of the hotel, sighing at his demanding mouth and the hands that mapped their way across her uncharted skin. The pair became consumed in the push and pull, each taking and yet giving, oblivious to the stares of the few guests wandering in and out of the lobby.

"I should go," Grant finally panted, though the desire in his eyes and his obvious arousal pressing into Skye's stomach said otherwise. "This might not seem like such a good idea to you in the morning."

Skye nodded her head; although she was anxious to forgive him wholly, to live in simply the now, she was wise enough to know she wasn't there yet. Anything else at that moment but bidding Ward 'goodnight' would have been a mistake. Swallowing hard, she pushed her hair behind her ears, smiling when she realised just how much it had grown in the months since she had abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she mumbled, something in her tone hopeful, and simultaneously worried.

"You will," he affirmed, anxious to show her that she hadn't scared him off with her uncharacteristic display of affection. On the contrary, he doubted he would sleep that night, since thoughts of Skye promised to plague him.

"Goodnight," she whispered, her fingers still drifting down the fabric of his shirt as he stepped out of her arms.

"Goodnight," he echoed, catching her hand and raising it to his lips to kiss her palm. Unable to resist, he tugged her closer and claimed her lips again, although this time in a far more subdued kiss.

Skye watched him walk away, a strange swirling of anxiety beginning to bubble up from her stomach. When he turned and smiled at her for a moment, she felt her unease lift. But all too soon he'd disappeared into the darkness and she was standing in the lobby of the hotel, under the watchful eye of the concierge.

" _What are you doing_?" she berated herself aloud, although the sappy smile set on her features was telling. She didn't regret this new development with Ward, but she certainly didn't feel like she deserved the happiness it had flooded her with.

Raising an eyebrow at the desk clerk in greeting, Skye began to make her way towards the elevators, her fingertips drifting over her lips, which were still tingling and plumped.

The sudden buzzing of her phone made her start, and after dipping her hand into her purse to retrieve it, she held up her cell to find Ward's name next to the message icon. She brushed a thumb over the screen, half expecting him to say he was leaving, or that he was sorry for kissing her, or one of a dozen other unpleasant scenarios her mind tormented her with.

But as she read his single word message, a grin tugged at her lips.

 _'Breakfast?'_

That night, her dreams were nothing short of wild. The things they did were enough to make Skye blush in the light of day, and enough to force her eyes closed again upon waking in a bid to drift back off to sleep.

There was a real danger of contentment creeping up upon her, and Skye found that to be an alarming concept. Everything around her was supposed to be temporary, just measures to get her through the days or weeks, or however long she could hope for until her heart had fully healed. She hadn't banked on Grant Ward showing up to ruin her best laid plans; she hadn't banked on the stirrings of emotions she had thought long dead and buried.


	3. Chapter 3

**Are You Ready For It?**

 **Part Three**

 **x-x-x**

 **'** **In the middle of the night, in my dreams**

 **You should see the things we do, baby**

 **In the middle of the night, in my dreams**

 **I know I'm gonna be with you**

 **So I take my time**

 **Are you ready for it?'**

 **x-x-x**

A week or so had passed, with each day happily spent in each other's company, and every night exchanging passionate kisses beneath the moonlight. Skye had thrown out every hint she knew of to get him to take her to bed, but still Ward held back, unwilling to take that final step - to take what she had thought he had wanted for years. He was gentle and respectful, attentive and charming, yet as she got to know him again, she realised that the Grant Ward she'd fallen for was not so different to this Ward. The swagger and confidence were all for show, for everyone who wasn't her, and beneath that exterior he was still uncertain, self-deprecating and funny - and he still looked at her as if he'd been waiting for her all of his life.

They'd briefly touched on his childhood, on Garrett, on her parents, her strained relationship with the team, but neither wanted to delve too deeply and shatter the perfect – if not temporary – existence they were living together. Forgiveness hung heavy in the air, yet neither voiced it, too consumed with protecting their little slice of paradise, and fanning the flames of the overwhelming desire that drew them together.

The windows in the hotel room were closed even against the unrelenting heat and balmy temperature outside. Open windows were a security threat, and Grant had found himself sleeping heavier and longer these days, contentment washing over him instead of regret. The air conditioning blades swirled quietly overhead, and the floor of the hotel was in relative silence save for the few staff members and early risers who navigated the hall.

It wasn't until he heard the blood curdling scream and felt the bed shake beneath him that Ward bolted from his mattress and sprang – clad only in his boxers – to the door of his room, dread and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The voice, even raised in terror as it was, was alarmingly familiar. Coupled with the tremors that rocked the building, sending guests and staff alike scurrying to wait underneath doorways, Ward was in no doubt as to who was locked in such a state of terror. He ran down the corridor with little care for his undress, ignoring the looks directed at him by the hotel maids who had been getting ready for the morning cleaning schedule.

Ward knew which number Skye's room was, and had had his own room changed accordingly to her location a week before. Suddenly he was immeasurably glad of that fact. It took just one well-placed shoulder barge to buckle the door lock, and Ward wasted no time in running into the room, ready to face who or whatever was attacking the woman. He found nothing. Only Skye thrashing around in the midst of her tangled sheets, sweat beaded on her brow and her mouth open wide as she let out screams so filled with anguish that they were heart-breaking to hear.

"Skye…" he managed to mumble, shocked beyond measure by the sight that had greeted him. Armed Hydra operatives he had been ready and prepared to deal with, but emotional wounds wreaking havoc on the woman's stability were another matter entirely.

"Skye," he repeated, louder this time. The sound of his own voice raised seemed to spur Grant into action and he hurried forward, hesitating for just a few seconds before he seated himself on the edge of the bed. He reached out and seized Skye's shoulders, preparing to shake her hard from her nightmare, always remaining wary of where her fists were situated in case she lashed out in her distress. However, much to Ward's surprise, at the sensation of hands on her skin, Skye instead began to weep loudly. The shaking did not subside and her eyes did not open, even when the lamp sitting atop the nightstand crashed to the floor as a consequence of the quake.

"Wake up, sweetheart," he coaxed, his voice breaking as he listened to Skye's sobs, which she seemed to be struggling to breathe through.

"I'm sorry… sorry… so sorry…" she whispered, her tears streaming down her cheeks from beneath her tightly shut lids.

"Skye!" he called out desperately again, this time chancing to place his hand gently against her cheek to draw her out of her dream.

"It's just a dream… it's just a dream," he repeated soothingly, watching as her eyes flickered open and she gazed around her in obvious disorientation. The screaming stopped but Ward's heart continued to pump a mile a minute.

"Grant?" Skye looked at him as if she was questioning not just his presence but his very existence altogether. He nodded in reply, gathering up her hand and pressing a kiss to her clammy palm. She swallowed down her fear, closing her eyes and letting out a shaky breath as she tried to regulate her breathing. Her own heart pounded violently in her ears too.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, uncertain if she'd feel comfortable with that level of intimacy – especially with him, who he assumed was responsible for a significant proportion of the nightmares that haunted her.

Leaning up on her elbows, Skye nodded with uncertainty. Her gaze swept his body almost shyly before she asked, "Will you stay with me? Like… here, in my bed?"

Appearing a little taken aback, Ward bobbed his head before moving to dutifully take his place in the bed behind her. Skye threw back the covers and then rolled onto her side so he could lay beside her. Reaching blindly behind herself, she gathered up Ward's arm and drew it around her waist. The sigh she released was heavy hearted as she scooted back to press up against him, and he pulled her closer until his hand splayed against her abdomen.

His legs tangled with hers and Skye shivered as the warmth from his skin radiated heat to hers. Suddenly the tank top and panties she'd worn to bed were not enough to stave off the cool, early morning air and chill of the whirring a/c.

"I dreamed about the ship… about Lincoln and… you. But it wasn't Hive, it was you like you are now, and I couldn't stop you. I couldn't stop either of you from… It's all my fault, Ward. He'd never have stayed with S.H.I.E.L.D. if it wasn't for me. I messed up, I… I led him on, I let him think I felt the same way about him, but… but I was just lonely. I didn't want to do it all by myself. It's my fault he died, and I don't know how I'm ever gonna live with that."

Ward listened without word, not having to look at Skye to know that tears were still trickling freely down her cheeks and splashing onto the pillow beneath her. The breaths she took were shuddery and he strengthened his grip around her, hoping to bring her some comfort.

"He should have had his whole life ahead of him," Skye whispered, shaking her head, "he was going to be a doctor. He could have found someone, settled down, had kids… he always seemed like the white picket fence type."

Ward made a quiet noise of affirmation in his throat; he had often had the same thoughts regarding Lincoln, who had always appeared to him to be chasing the elusive dream of a completely normal life. His birth-right as an Inhuman had ultimately been what denied him that, not Skye, and Ward would be damned if he continued to allow her to think as much.

"If anyone should feel guilty about what happened to Lincoln, it's me," Ward said, pressing his nose momentarily into Skye's hair and breathing in the scent of her shampoo. She didn't recoil from his proximity and Ward was thankful for at least that, although he would have relinquished anything at that moment to see her less broken.

"You didn't…" she began, shaking her head and struggling to turn around in the bed to face him.

"Betraying the team for John set off a whole chain reaction of events, Skye," he said solemnly, his eyes downcast as he considered his words, "if I had made a different decision back on the BUS then maybe Lincoln never would have come into your life at all. Hive certainly wouldn't have been able to make me his bitch."

"Do you know how many second… Hell, even third chances Coulson has given me? The entire team, Ward, we've all messed up. Some of us more than others. Not once has he turned away from us, he's never given up on us. Except for you."

"I can't blame anyone else for my own choices," countered Grant, smiling sadly as he added, "if there's anything I took away from my mandatory 6 weeks of 24 hour psych evaluations and counselling, it's that. I hurt you… I hurt a lot of people, and maybe there's no way I can ever make up for that. There's no way back from what I was."

"That wasn't the real you, this is you… this is the guy I knew back at the start. It wasn't all a lie, Grant. I see him in you now, I know he was real. Garrett, he… he abused and manipulated a child. You were a kid, and what he and your family did to you…" Skye shook her head, brows furrowed as further tears steadily tripped her cheeks. She had endured her fair share of trauma and heartache as a child, but she had been fortunate that the nuns had always kept her safe from the kind of physical and mental abuse that Grant had suffered.

"I can't imagine that kind of cruelty. And when you needed help, when we should have been there to give you that second chance, none of us did. We turned our backs on you. Jesus Christ, we turned you over to one of your abusers. That's so fucking messed up I can't even process it."

Ward swallowed hard, fighting and winning against the urge to close his eyes to the onslaught of bad memories that flooded him. His hands no longer shook whenever someone mentioned Christian, and he counted that as a personal victory.

"We have all made mistakes," he said, surprising himself with the note of confidence ringing in his voice. "None of us are perfect, not even Lincoln. I think he was one of the few people I have ever met who could admit that to themselves."

In truth, Ward did hold himself at least partly accountable for Lincoln Campbell's loss. The Inhuman had been a good guy at heart, if not sometimes a little misguided, but that was something that Ward could certainly appreciate and understand. Although he had never managed to regain control from Hive, and had been rendered a prisoner in his own body, Ward had wished with everything he had left in him that he could have spared Lincoln. The guy certainly never deserved to die, but Grant understood his choice.

"He died for me, to save me," Skye murmured, sniffling as she swiped at her eyes with balled up fists. Ward could tell that she was growing angry with her own tears, and how easily they seemed to fall of late.

"Is that what you think?" Ward asked, his breath escaping him in a sigh and brushing the nape of Skye's neck. It tickled but it was warm and vaguely comforting, so she resisted the urge to draw away.

"He told me…" she began, trailing off when Ward squeezed her hand hard in a bid to silence her.

"He loved you, I don't doubt that," he explained, "but Lincoln wanted to become a doctor because he was one of the good guys; he wanted to help people more than anything, and that is why he gave his life, Skye. Yes, he wanted to save you, but he needed to save the world more. Even if he'd have known the truth about how you felt, I don't believe his actions would have been any different. He died a hero, not some lovestruck guy who didn't know which way was up. That's why his decision can never be on you. He would have made it no matter what."

Skye was suddenly silent, and he could almost see the cogs whirring in her mind as she thought over his words, until eventually she met his gaze. "I guess I never thought about it like that before."

Sniffling, she batted at her own cheeks and then ran her hand slowly up Ward's arm, feeling the involuntary flex of his muscles. She was at once content and safe in his embrace. If anyone had told her three months ago that it would be Grant Ward who would invoke those feelings in her again, she'd have thought them insane. Of course, that was not to say that in the weeks and months after Hive had taken over his unfortunate host, Skye had not spent a good deal of time in contemplation of Grant Ward. Just like he had promised she would, she found she understood him. Very slowly she'd begun to mourn his death and regret that the team had not tried to help him. She realised all they could have been, (all she was to him and all he was to her), and something inside her heart had begun to ache.

"I wish it was him and not me who came back, who got that second chance…" Ward said sincerely, pausing as Skye turned sharply to face him and pressed two trembling fingers against his lips.

"No. No." she breathed, rolling over so she could slot herself into his arms, her chest pressed to his. Burying her face in his neck, she managed to relax her breathing a little. He caressed the top of her arm, his hand slowly travelling down her back to slip under her camisole, where he began to rub circles over her skin.

Skye swept her palm over his chest, almost afraid to catch his eye as she confessed, "You know, I dream about us… you and me, Ward. Some dreams are hot and steamy, and I wake up needing you, like I can almost feel you; your lips, your hands, how you'd move inside me. Then other times in my dream none of this is real, and I wake up thinking you're really gone…"

Taking a steadying breath, Skye slid her hand up his chest until she captured his gaze, "I wouldn't change this, being here with you."

Ward swallowed hard; an audible gesture that, when added to the confusion swimming in his eyes, reflected the fact that he was stunned and simultaneously terrified by Skye's admissions. He had thought hope was long gone, and that whilst Skye had moved past her hatred for him, she could probably never rekindle her attraction to him.

"I know you're hurting right now," he began, poised to do the right thing, as was his promise since re-joining S.H.I.E.L.D. a year ago, "but I can't let you…"

"You're not 'letting' me do anything," interrupted Skye firmly, her frown belaying how she felt about his wording, "I'm a grown woman and although you could argue it's been a crazy couple of years, I'm not 'confused' by any of this."

"By?" Ward probed, daring still to cling onto his hope and wear it before him like armour.

"By my feelings for you," she finished, struggling to keep her eyes locked with his as her cheeks flushed. She wasn't used to putting herself out there in such a way, especially coming from a string of foster families who had rejected her one after the other. She had learned to build up an unshakeable wall, which had served her well for the most part over the years – until she had met Ward. He had seemed to chip gradually away at the foundations of it day by day, compromising its very integrity, and Skye's heart in the bargain.

Swallowing nervously, she traced her fingertips over his chest, biting down on her bottom lip as she swept her gaze back up to his.

"Are we ever gonna get past this, Grant? I… I thought you wanted this too, but I'm starting to think maybe I misread the situation. Don't you want me like that anymore? Because you kiss me and I can feel you holding back, and I can't figure out if you just don't want me, or if it's some crazy promise you made Coulson, or something else. Help me out here, Grant."

Ward dragged his eyes from hers, and in that instant Skye thought she'd received his message loud and clear.

"I see," she nodded resolutely, shrugging his arm off her and preparing to sit up in bed, until Ward reached out and pulled her back towards him.

"Skye…" he faltered helplessly, shaking his head as he sat up against the headboard and ran his hand wearily over his face. "You honestly think I don't want you?"

Shrugging, she sat up beside him, directing her eyes to the comforter, where she began picking at the cotton as if removing imaginary lint. "I don't know."

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them, until Ward reached out and cupped her cheek to direct her to meet his eyes.

"I want you. God… you're all I've ever wanted. But I don't deserve you, Skye. I don't deserve your forgiveness, your friendship, or anything else. I guess I just don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I've already done plenty of things I regret in my life," she murmured, shaking her head as she added, "trust me, this isn't one of them."

The silence dominated the small room – a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle that could be heard emanating from the adjoining hallway now that the apparent 'earthquake' had awakened half of the hotel. Skye listened to the sound of her own breathing intently, working hard to keep it soft and regular, despite the disappointment and sorrow coursing through her veins with her blood.

"Ward, I…" she finally began, her hands grasping the sheets tight and wringing them through her fingers.

She was cut off by his lips against hers, this time serving as a complete surprise just at the moment that she had been convinced he was poised to end their brief flirtation.

Combing her fingers through his hair, Skye gasped for air when Grant finally released her lips from his. She gazed up at him, a smile beginning to break out on her face as he nuzzled the tip of her nose and slid his arm around her waist so he could tug them down to a more horizontal position.

Rolling so Skye was underneath him, Ward took a moment to caress her face. His thumb brushed her cheek as he felt her legs part obligingly, and he slipped into the cradle of her hips.

"Tell me to stop… any time," he instructed, desperate not to spook her or in any way hurt her, especially given their history. He often mourned the period he knew she must have been afraid of him, perhaps even more than the time he had been certain she hated him, and he never wanted to give her another moment to feel anything but safe in his presence.

"No pressure, Grant, but I've dreamt about this… a lot… in detail, so…" Skye winced, giggling as he laughed yet looked vaguely unnerved at the same time.

"Yeah?" he smirked, teasing her lips with his as his hand slid up and down her ribcage, "so have I."

She closed her eyes, groaning into his insistent kiss as his fingertips stroked her face, her hair and her shoulder. His touches were soft, featherlight and warm, and Skye knew that getting lost in the moment was a very real possibility.

"Any time," he repeated when he drew away from her to catch his breath. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Skye looped her leg around Ward's rear and dragged him back into the clinch he had escaped.

"Don't. Stop," she commanded, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she peered up into his eyes, which were clouded by desire. And from that point on, he didn't; Ward didn't falter with his kisses, or waver when his hand touched her hot, bare skin, or withdraw from her embrace when she hissed and moaned in pleasure beneath him. Instead, he only loved her, the way she deserved.

 **x-x-x**

 **Two months later**

Stretching out her legs until her toes dragged across the sand, Skye lay back against the welcoming and impossibly inviting firmness of Ward's chest.

"This is nice," she sighed, taking a moment to glance up at the stars before her eyes fluttered closed. She smiled at the sensation of his fingertips ghosting across her collarbone and down towards the open buttons of her dress, where her bikini top was just visible.

Murmuring his agreement, Grant lowered his mouth to her neck, where he pressed slow, languid kisses to her skin. His free hand slid across her stomach and held her fast, but Skye didn't protest. Instead, she arched her back and one hand snaked around to the nape of his neck. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt collar and yanked his head upwards so that she could claim his lips again. Ward smirked against her kiss, the hand that had rested on her stomach beginning to inch closer and closer to the hem of her dress. The beach was darkened and deserted, and so Skye was hardly concerned about being spotted by other tourists, most of whom were instead enjoying the nightlife the island had to offer. That was hardly Grant's scene and so the couple contented themselves with a blanket on the secluded part of the beach, and as Ward's fingers slipped inside the leg of her bikini bottoms, Skye certainly didn't regret their choice.

Ward's index finger circled her entrance and Skye hissed, a grin following seconds later. He smirked at her reaction, gently exploring her folds and feeling a familiar wetness begin to coat his finger. He added another, slipping the two digits inside of her slowly and with now well-practiced technique. Skye lay flush against their blanket, her cheeks beginning to pink. Her hips rose and fell eagerly but almost imperceptibly, and she let out a soft groan as the tightness in the pit of her stomach began to build.

Casting a cautious eye on the beach, Ward happily noted that nobody was near their vicinity, so hiking up Skye's dress a little further, he removed his hand from the side of her panties, much to her displeasure.

"You better have something better in mind, Grant, cos I was so close," she panted, biting on her bottom lip at the persistent fluttering of her core.

She grinned enthusiastically as he rolled them over. She helped him to pull her dress over her hips as he lay carefully on top of her. Their lips collided again and again, and Skye felt her hands practically tremble as she popped the button on his jeans and hurriedly tugged the zip down.

Ward growled into her mouth as she palmed his erection through the fabric of his underwear, and Skye felt her stomach muscles tremble as he untied the knots on each side of her bikini bottoms. He pulled the front of the garment down hastily.

"You know, this'd be a whole lot easier if you just wore shorts, Grant," she teased, her eyes suddenly slamming shut as his questing fingers once more began to push inside her, and she spread her legs wider to invite them deeper.

His lips dragged hot, frantic kisses down her neck and Skye reached up to untie the knot at the front of her bikini bra. She wrenched it open with a distinct lack of patience, trying to ensure his lips landed where she wanted them to. Taking the hint, Ward smirked at her, one hand sliding up her stomach to palm and fondle one breast whilst he lowered his head to the other, beginning to lick and suck her nipple. A series of quiet, garbled cries left her lips and caught on the night air.

The past few months had been kinder to Skye, and her hair now once again lay in loose curls past her shoulders. The curves of her body had filled out beyond the sharp, gaunt edges she'd found staring back at her in the mirror. Grant had seemed especially pleased by the latter improvement. When the golden glow of the Hawaiian sunshine kissed her cheeks, she looked every inch the girl he had first met.

Chuckling against her skin, Ward lifted his head and kissed her lips. His tongue slid into her mouth as his fingers kept up their languid pace, sliding in and out of her warm, slick channel.

His thumb pressed down against her clit and she cried out a little louder than she realised, earning a smug yet mildly concerned smile from Ward.

"Shush," he cautioned, laughing as she responded only in keening cries and a frantic attempt to free his erection from his boxer briefs.

However, as she pumped his hardened member in her hand, it was Ward's turn to cry out, and he muffled his groans into the bare skin of her shoulder.

"Don't tell me that this doesn't turn you on, Grant, knowing somebody could find us," she murmured breathlessly, grasping his wrist and pushing his hand away. She shuffled closer and placed the tip of his erection at her opening. "Now… please."

Mindful not to hurt her, he teased her with short, shallow thrusts, eventually sliding all the way inside her until her fingernails dug into his shoulders and they both cried out at the by now familiar sensation of joining together.

"More… concerned… that they may think I'm murdering you," he managed to reply, silencing her laughter with a toe curling kiss as their hips began to move together. He built up a steady rhythm that had her clinging to the tops of his arms.

"Although… this exhibitionist streak of yours… is something I'm willing to explore," he panted, delighting in the sound of her laughter as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held his body against her own.

The sound of the waves crashing on the sand was quickly joined by cries of pleasure almost frenzied in nature as Ward began to thrust harder and faster, quickly pushing them both to the precipice.

"Long as it's with you," she whispered, eyes slamming closed as their foreheads pressed together, and she arched her hips up with each thrust to force him deeper. "Grant… Mmm, right there, like that… again."

Feeling the crest of her orgasm about to hit, Skye's head fell back and she gasped breathlessly as his mouth pressed against hers. He barely managed to muffle the scream that would otherwise have been released into the night air.

Ward groaned into their kisses and, with a few final thrusts, he felt himself losing control, assured of his lover's satisfaction by the trembling of the ground beneath them.

"Skye," his fingers grasped at her hip as he felt pleasure flood his senses and Skye whimpered at the sensation of him releasing his hot seed inside her, holding him closer until their bodies stilled.

Leaning up over her, he caressed her cheek, and a smile passed between the couple as they exchanged affectionate kisses. Skye let her hand slide up his back so she could caress the nape of his neck, and she bumped the tip of her nose playfully against his.

Glancing up for a moment at the sky, she found herself suddenly at peace, and a wave of contentment settled over her as she returned her gaze to his adoring eyes.

Though her dreams of late had been somewhat steamy to say the least, there was one element that had been missing. Because a feeling overcame her in that moment, as he held her tightly and planted kisses on her cheek; and it felt a lot like love.

Laying in each other's arms, the blanket now covering their hastily clothed bodies against the ocean breeze, the couple were content to simply peer out across the horizon.

"It's beautiful here," Ward remarked, taking in the scenery with hungry eyes, as if only now, with her, he was able to fully enjoy the beauty the world had to offer. The last couple of months had not only given Ward a new lease on life and new purpose, but being with Skye had taught him that life was there to be lived, not merely endured.

"It is, but…" Skye began, suddenly opening her eyes as if struggling to find the courage to voice her feelings. Ward stopped caressing her arm and furrowed his brow, having detected the uncertainty in her voice, "I… I think it's time we moved on."

His expression was momentarily crestfallen, and it took several seconds of his silence before Skye glanced up in confusion. A devastated countenance had overtaken him and his eyes swam with moisture.

"Not from you, idiot!" Skye swatted at his hand, hugging his arms tighter around her and rolling over until she lay on top of him. "Look, as beautiful as it is here, Grant, I… I guess I'm bored. This isn't real life. It's been nine months since I left S.H.I.E.L.D. and… it's time I dragged my ass back to reality."

Ward frowned, shaking his head in mild disbelief as he queried, "You want to go back to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Skye all but guffawed, shaking her head as she peered down at her boyfriend – if she could be so bold to use that term. They had yet to really define what they had with any kind of label, and Skye was too afraid to press the subject, if truth be told. She couldn't imagine anything worse than Ward suddenly coming to his senses, recalling how much she too had hurt him in the past, and simply disappearing into the night. He had once been S.H.I.E.L.D.'s finest Specialist after all, and if he truly wanted to leave her behind, it would be a piece of cake compared to a normal day at work. Banishing all maudlin thoughts with a firm shake of her head, Skye gathered up Ward's hand and pressed it to her chest, just over her heart.

"I can't think of anything I want less right now," she stated with such finality and certainty that Ward was beginning to come to the conclusion that Coulson was wrong, and that Skye would perhaps never be ready to return to his fold.

"Then what…?" he began, arching a brow as he peered up at her quizzically, marvelling not for the first time at her beautiful smile. It certainly seemed to come to her a lot easier these days, since she had escaped S.H.I.E.L.D.'s clutches.

"I want to run away," she said, eyes shining in the moonlight in a manner that rivalled the stars overhead.

"You headed anywhere in particular?" he pressed, unsure if she meant for him to accompany her. Though they'd been happy for the last few months, especially since their heart to heart in the hotel room a few weeks before, Grant was still on some level waiting for her to change her mind about them. It terrified him, how much he loved her again already, and the idea of letting her go tore at him almost physically.

"Wherever we want," she said with a shrug, as though it were that simple. She leaned down and dropped a tender kiss to his lips. "Unless you've got somewhere else you'd rather be, robot? I know you made Coulson a promise, I know you wanted to make amends with S.H.I.E.L.D., but… I want you with me. Maybe that's kind of selfish but I don't wanna lose you, Grant."

He smiled at her use of the old nickname, sliding his hand up her back and caressing her neck. Releasing a slow breath, it seemed it only took a few moments for him to come to a decision.

"Just tell me where you want to go and I'm right there beside you."

Grinning, Skye arched an eyebrow, "So does this mean you'll run away with me, Agent Ward?"

Grant laughed - the kind of genuine laughter that creased his eyes and brought a sparkle of mischief back to his face. Winking at Skye, he slid his hands down to rest on her rear and bucked his hips up against hers. He could feel his heartrate begin to accelerate at the breathy moan she released in response.

"Well, I suppose we should probably get out of here before they send a team of geologists to investigate all of that seismic activity. You know the locals think one of the volcanos is about to erupt again?"

"Oh baby," Skye replied, her voice comically low and her eyebrows raised, "it already has."

Laughing hard, Ward seized Skye around the waist and flipped them over in the sand, ignoring her squeal of protest as he positioned himself above her. The tips of their noses touched a fraction of a second before their lips did, calming Skye as she lay there and basked in Grant's attention.

"You think we can do it?" he queried, doubt trying its best to worm its way into his mind and pollute the excitement that had begun to blossom there at Skye's suggestion.

"Stay off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar?" Skye asked, cocking her head as she debated the question. However, Ward shook his head hard.

"No, I meant do you think we could just leave it all behind… everything we know about the world and what's out there… start afresh and just… be civilians?" he wondered, his tone bearing a note of hope alongside scepticism.

"We can try," Skye countered, her thumb caressing the stubble on his jaw as she looked up at him with open affection. "I know neither one of us has ever had a normal life, Grant. Who the fuck even knows what normal is, right? But we can be together, away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and away from everything else that I just know is gonna try to tear us apart the second we get back there."

She shrugged sadly as she continued, "If we go back together, they'll find a way to destroy this, you know they will."

She lifted her head and claimed his lips in a kiss that was as poignant as it was hungry.

"Nothing will ever take you away from me again, Skye," Ward promised, repeating the kiss again and again until each of them was rendered breathless.

"I could do some crazy boring IT job, you know… like… sitting in one of those little cubicle things, with staff meetings, and like a water cooler? And you could be a personal trainer… getting paid to yell at people and make them do sit-ups at unsociable hours?!"

Chuckling at her ideas and insinuations, which he had to concede were not that far off the mark, Ward gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

"I can move some money around. I figure we're okay for a couple of years at least. Then we can talk about making you go to staff meetings." Sighing resolutely, he licked his lips, "Look, Skye… I have no loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D., only to you. I know I should stay and pay my dues, try to make things right with the team, but… the selfish part of me just wants to be with you, and if you're not going back, neither am I."

Skye smiled brightly, and Ward was immediately swept up in the momentum with her as she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Really?" she pressed, "you'll really do this? Come with me?"

Ward brushed the back of his hand along the line of her cheek bone, appreciating the way the moonlight illuminated the gentle curves of her face and body. To him, she would always be the most exquisite woman he had ever seen, no matter how far and wide they decided to travel.

"I'm just happy that you want me with you," he said honestly, a hint of deprecation creeping into his voice as his gaze dropped to the sand.

"You can't escape me that easily, Ward," teased Skye, raking her fingers through his short, dark hair and letting out a contented sigh that was almost lost beneath the sound of the tide lapping at the shore. Ward ran his gaze over the beach, committing the sights of the near cloudless sky and perfectly golden sand to memory; he would need to, since it appeared that by morning they would be on their way.

"This is exciting," Skye breathed, her grin growing by the second as she contemplated everything that lay before them, "aren't you excited?"

"Let the games begin, baby," Ward chuckled, and he stole another kiss before Skye had time to protest.

Beneath a garden of stars, they lost themselves in each other's arms, lulled to further contentment by the sound of the waves on the shore and their shared affirmations. Skye had quickly discovered that her dreams couldn't begin to compare to the passion and raw desire that they invoked in each other, and she intended to take full advantage of their last night on the island.

By morning their bags would be packed and they'd be on their way to a future neither one could have imagined a few months prior. But, in that moment, Skye was content to be lost in him; in the feel of Grant's stubble against her skin, his demanding kisses, and the enduring knowledge that neither of them would ever be alone again.


End file.
